HEKS/EPER is making a difference in the «Advocacy» in South Sudan

The 1982-2005 civil war destroyed most of the already scant infrastructure in the villages of Central Equatoria Province. Even today the population is not assured of basic services. HEKS/EPER therefore supports five local partner organizations in developing rural communities. HEKS/EPER is improving water supplies and sanitation, it runs literacy courses, vocational training and peacebuilding programmes and promotes organic farming as well as fish breeding and animal husbandry. Moreover, partner organizations are being empowered through continuing training programmes to liaise between civil society and authorities in order to secure fulfilment of the population's right to food, land, water, education, health and safety.

Facts

The civil war has produced more than 3.4 million refugees on the move.

In 2017 HEKS/EPER provided emergency aid for some 100000 people.

The work of HEKS/EPER revolves around socially disadvantaged people. These include asylum seekers and refugees, sans-papiers (undocumented persons) as well as people on low incomes and those facing discrimination. They are all especially at risk of seeing their rights violated or of social exclusion. HEKS/EPER advocates on their behalf and strives to support them in exercising their rights and improving their lot. HEKS/EPER works actively to secure Switzerland's protection for people who would be in danger if they returned to their country of origin or to a third country, whether for medical reasons, owing to violence and war, the lack of a social security network or because of deliberate persecution.